OAS willing to sponsor dialogue with Cuba

Monday, May 14, 2007

OAS willing to sponsor dialogue with Cuba

The Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Jose Miguel
Insulza discarded the possibility of Venezuela abandoning the
institution and underlined he favored the opening of dialogue with Cuba.
Interviewed in Rome, Italy, Insulza said "what I'm sponsoring is
dialogue between Cuba and OAS, which is currently non existent, but is a
bit absurd since 33 countries of the organization but one, have normal
relations with Havana".

Insulza said he expected "things to improve in coming years", and
recalled that Cuba was suspended from OAS in 1962, but to return must
subscribe and abide by the Inter-american Democratic Charter, "since OAS
works on the basis of a consensus system".

The Interamerican Democratic Charter "subscribed by a strange
coincidence on September 11 2001 in Peru, is a document which defines
democracy in a very ample sense and among other things means "free
elections, honoring commitments, separation of government branches and
respect for human rights".

"Transition in Cuba will necessarily happen at some time", insisted
Insulza who added that the Cuban regime has lasted "almost half a
century" and has thrived on a very important factor: "the charismatic
figure of Fidel Castro".

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